Delaware race eliminated from Rachel's consideration

Horseracing Betting Lines

06/08/2010 - Louisville, KY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Defending Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra has not been entered in Saturday's $150,000 Obeah Stakes at Delaware Park, leaving three other races in the mix for her start this weekend.

The Obeah, a 1 1/8-mile prep for the Delaware Handicap, was one of the original four possible stakes that the champion filly could make her third start of the year. Still in the running are the Fleur de Lis and Stephen Foster Handicap, both at Churchill Downs. and the Ogden Phipps Handicap at Belmont Park.

Of the four races the Obeah has the smallest purse, the Foster Handicap is $600,000, the Fleur de Lis is worth $200,000 and the Ogden Phipps is valued at $250,000.

Monday morning the four-year-old had her last workout prior to Saturday's start. With Shaun Bridgmohan riding Rachel covered four-furlongs in 49 2/5 seconds.

"Everything seemed very comfortable," said trainer Steve Asmussen after the workout.

Owned by Stonestreet Stables and Harold McCormick, Rachel is seeking her first win of the year following losses at the Fair Grounds and Churchill Downs. In 2009 the filly was perfect in eight starts, including the Preakness, Haskell Invitational and Woodward.

Rachel Alexandra has career earnings of just over $3 million with 11 wins in 16 lifetime races.

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MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.

Well, not quite $1 million, but MySportsbook.com is offering a 75% rebate for Kentucky Derby lines. Check out the exclusive horse racing bonus for all the details.

According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).

Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.

''It's certainly creative, it's certainly fun and it has something for the horsemen, which we always want to embrace,'' Churchill Downs president and chief executive Robert Evans said at a news conference. ''What's really cool is it will force us to remember Barbaro.''
    
Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.

Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.

''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.''

Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
   
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.

”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
   
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.

For complete odds on the Kentucky Derby, visit MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.